Blank-feeding device



June 7 1927.

w. OWEN BLANK FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 9 1925 2 Sheets-$heet l lllllll.

'INVENTOR 1 June 7, 927 w OWEN BLANK FEEDING mavxcs Filed July 9 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR kiln or furnace where the blanks are broughtto a degree of plasticity suchthat they may I ,wheel 6 mounted to rotate'upon the axle 7 framework of the machine, as indicated in with a sprocket wheel 10 by means of which itis continuously rotated at a speed such as Patented June 7, 1927.

' UNITED STATES f PATENT- OFFICE.

WILLIAM OWEN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AS SIGNO B TOPITTSBURGE PLATE COMPANY, A CQRPOBAT ION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

I BLANK-FEEDING nivrcn.

Application filed Iuly 9,

' The invention relates to apparatus for feeding glass blanks, suchas those used in maln'ng spectacles, to a 'furnacefsuch blanks being softened in the furnace preliminary to pressing in a mold. It has for its primary objects, the provision of means of simple construction for giving a reliable automatic feed ofthe blanks, and one which will hanside. Figs. 3 and 4 are elevation views of the removable magazine. And Figs. 5 and 6' are elevation views of the. closure device for the bottom of the magazine.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a carrier of refractory material adapted to receive the glass blanks 2, 3 and 4 from the feeding ap paratus and carry them through a tunnel be pressed to circular form in a suitable molding machine. The blanks are fed to the carrier 1 from the magazine 5 by means of a in the direction of movement of the carrier, as indicated by the arrow. This axle, as well as the magazine 5 is supported u on" a casting or bracket 8 bolted to a part z9 fthe Fig. 2, the axle. being provided at its, end

is necessaryto give any desired spacing of the blanks 2, 3, 4, etc. upon the'carrier.

The magazinefi-is preferably mounted in an inclined. position,"a's indicated in Fig.1,

and is open upon one side, as indicated at 11,

.the blanks 1 ing one above the other asin dicated in column of blanks ig. 1 and the weight of the supported upon the periphery of'the whee 6. The wheel Q is provided with a feed shoulder 12 which is 1925. Serial No. 42,513.

adapted to engage the bottom blank of the stack in the chute 5 and'carry it around until it arrives at the position indicated by the blank 2 where it is deposited upon the plate 20 and then upon the carrier 1 which is moving continuously to the right, as indicated by the arrow. The periphery of the wheel from the shoulder 12 around to the point 13 is in the form of a spiral which continuously approaches the center of rotation of the to the height of the shoulder. The purpose of this spiral arrangement is to prevent any falling movement of the stack of blanks after the bottom blank has been carried laterally from-beneath the stack by the'shoulder 12.

wheel, the amount of approach being equal That is, the periphery of the wheel imn1e diately. following the shoulder closely approaches the lower end of the magazine or chute 11, so that when the bottom blank is moved away, the next blank is in such close proximity to the surface of the wheel behind the shoulder that themovement of the stack after the bottom blank has been moved away is very. slight. This involves a substantial advantage'as any chippingv of the blanks at this point is reduced to a minimum. Blanks which are not chipped give a-better finished product than blanks which havehad small chips or particles broken away in vthe process of handling. I The blanks are held against the p'eriphery of the wheel after they are removed from the chute by means of the sheet .me tal guide members It and 15 mounted. u n,the ins 16 and 17 and pressed yielding y inwar by means of the leaf springs 18and 19. .When

the blanks arrive at the position indicated 3 by the blank 2 of Fi ..1-,fl:ey are deposited upon a plate 20 wliic' lies upon thesurfaceof the carrier and is reciprocated back and forth at timed intervals. The movement. of

the plate to the leftfpemiitsfthe blank to move down and'en V 4 carrier, and after the lank has been moved forward by the carrier, the late 20 i brought back toits original position, so that the surface of the it is in .positioli'to receive the nextblank from the wheel. This arrangement gives dust less disturbance of. the powder on ment and is yieldingly pressed to the left by means of the spring 24 bearing against the nut 25 carried by the rod. The rod is moved to the right at timed intervals by means of a cam 26 carried by the axle 7, such cam being positioned so as to engage a transverse slot 27 extending through the rod 23. The parts are timed so that the plate 20 is moved back and forth once for each revolution of the wheel 6.

In order to take care of the blanks of varying thickness and prevent two blanks being moved ahead by the shoulder 12 from position in the chute or magazine 5, a spring held stop member 28 is employed upon the edge of the magazine. This stop member is hinged to the magazine wall at 29 and isheld yieldingly in the position shown by means of a leaf spring'30. This prevents a second blank'lyin on top of the lower-' most blank from being fed ahead with the shoulder. 12.

- racks.

lowermost blank. In case a blank of unusual thickness'should be fed through the magazine, the stop member will permit such thick blank to be carried forward by the The blanks are brought to the magazine, 5' in supplemental magazines 31 open at one side the same as the magazine 5 andadapted to telescope into the enlarged end 32 of the magazine 5; These supplemental magazines the brought to the feeding device in suitable When the blanks from a' supplemental magazine are exhausted such magazine is removed from the magazine 5 and a new magazine filled with blanks is placed in position. In order to constitute a closure for the bottom of the supplemental magazine 31, the spring device33 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is employed. This device is provided with lateral projections'34 adapted to fit in suitable slot's 35 in the lower end of the supplemental magazine. When in position, this spring devlce engages-the lowermost blank in the supplemental'magazine and prevents it falling out whenv the megazine is. held in vertical position, or in the 1nclinedposition of Fig. 1. After thesupplemental magazine full of blanks is positioned, as indicated in Fig. 1, thesprin device 33 is grasped by the operator and the sides sprung together so .as'to release the micetions 34 from the slots 35, after whlchthe spring device moved downward in the magazine 5 until the lowermost blank of the-stack, which is being lowered arrives in' close proximity to the top'blank of the magazine 5, after which the spring device is withdra' n. This rovides a convenient means for andling t e blanks and applying them to the machine without dan er of cutting the hands of the operator or 0 chipping the blanks in the operation of positioning anew stack. The supplemental magazines may be made 30 inches or more in length, and carnya large number of blanks, so that the work of the operator in tending the machine is reduced to a minimum..

What I claim is: 1. In combination with a carrier for glass blanks, which are to be heated, a wheel mounted. above the carrier for rotation in the directionbf travel of the carrier; saidwheel having at its edge a feeding shoulder with the peripheral surface of the wheel to the rear of the shoulder formed on a curve which gradually approaches the center of ro--.

tation ofthe wheel, a chute leading to the peripheral surface of the wheel and adapted to feed the glass blanks carried thereb to position for engagement by. said shou der,

means for giving the wheel a movement of rotation such as to deliver the blanksfrom the chute to. the carrier at the desired intervals, guide means in opposition to the pe the blanks from the chute in contact with the riphry of the wheel for maintaining wheel until they reach-the lower side there of, a plate mounted u on the carrier in positionto receive the b anks from the wheel,

andlneans for reciprocating said plate. at timed intervals.

2. In combination with a carrier for glass blanks which are to be heated, a wheel mounted above the carrier and having at its edge a feeding shoulder, achute open along one side leading to the periphery .of the wheel and adapted to feed glass blanks -blanks which are to be 'heated, a" wheel* mounted above the carrier and having at its edge a feedin shoulder, a chute open along one side lea ing to the periphery of the engageute, and

wheel and .adapted to feed glass blanks thereto, a blank magazine also open along one side having sliding interfitting engagement with the upper end ofthe chute,.and a stop means for the blanks mounted releasably in the lower end of the magazine and adapted to be removed through the. open side thereof.

4. In combination-witha carrier for glass blanks which are to he hea ,a wheel mounted above the carrier and having at its a chute open along g to the periphery of the edge a feedin shoulder one side leatfin wheel' and adapted to feed glass blanks leased, to he slid downward through the 1 thereto, a. blank magazine also open along chute so as to support the'blanks during one side'having sliding inter-fitting 'engagesuch movement.

ment with the upper end of the chute, and a In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 spring clip mounted releasably in the lowersubscribed my' name this 7th day of July,

end of the ma azine andexfending through 1925. v

the open side t ereof and adapted, when re- WILLIAM OWEN. 

